Boot grease and leather preservative and method of producing it



Patented Feb. 9, 1954 BOOT GREASE AND LEATHER PRESERVA TIVE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING IT Howard 0. Schmid, Missoula, Mont.

N Drawing. Application, May. 11, 1951,

Serial .5 393 Claims. 1.

The object of my invention is the production or a. compound which when. applied as directed to leather will waterproof and preserve it for a long period of-timewithout appreciably changtha pliancy along with many other desirable, liorated qualities one of which is its tendency to inhibit human odors which are perceptible to.-wild animals, thereby providing dual purpose 9 hunter d l' i 2P- The principles by means of which this; com-. pound gives extraordinary waterproofness to leather are embodied in several characteristics which also give it the very desirable quality of permitting the leather to breathe through the natural pores. The pores of leather are funnelshaped with the large end of the pore toward the grain or hair side of the leather which is the surface usually used for the outside of footwear and other leather goods.

My invention is of very heavy viscosity which requires melting with heat before application. When applied in hot liquid form the compound penetrates the outer one-fourth of average leathers before solidifying, thereby staying in the larger end of the pores. The compound shrinks excessively upon cooling and dries slightly on the surface, consequently when it has cooled and dried a ring of the compound remains on the inside of the pores permitting air to pass through, but will keep water out due to the surface tension and the molecular cohesion of water when in contact with the compound. By forming a coating inside the pores instead of covering them the pressure and stress is greatly lessened thereby enhancing the lasting qualities which are further increased by the use of vegetable binders. These principles require a product of very heavy consistency which has been reached by the proportions of the ingredients.

The aforementioned principles result not only in more permanent waterproofing and preserving, but also through ventilation and lubrication of the pores, in increased foot comfort when the compound is applied to leather footwear because it does not penetrate to the socks and feet or cause footwear to become warmer in summer and colder in winter.

Another important feature of this invention is that its ingredients are only animal and vegetable matter which are good for leather and entirely harmless to rubber which is often attached to or used in conjunction with leather.

Still another significant characteristic of this invention is its quality of preserving cotton thread with which leather may be sewed.

Another important quality of; this invention is its ability to revive dry or stiff leather, only to the point of natural pliancy without softening it to a raggy, impaired state.

Still another significant feature of this invention is its desirability for dress shoes or leather requiring a glossy; finish, as this compound is wax-like rather than greasy and produces, an ideal base for polish or may be rubbedlaftfili it isidry to produce a fine gloss without Other p 1 15 1.

My composition consists of fish oil, pine tar, beeswax and oil of rhodium.

I prefer to use dark menhaden fish oil, a fish oil of heavy fat content, pine tar, and unrefined beeswax. Unrefined beeswax is used because of its more elastic and adhesive qualities.

This invention is preferably prepared by placing four parts of pine tar in a container after which three parts of dark menhaden fish oil are added; this mixture is slowly heated while six parts of unrefined beeswax are melted. The pine tar and fish oil are not stirred until the beeswax is melted and ready to add; when compounded in this manner the fish oil forms a heat seal and does not become hot until mixed with the tar. The melted beeswax is then added and the mixture thoroughly stirred. After the mixture has cooled slightly, one drop of oil of rhodium is added to each seven ounces of the liquid which is then ready for use or it may be allowed to cool and solidify, to be re-melted at any time its use is desired. The resulting composition containing the specified proportions of the specified ingredient solidifies at about F.

The dark menhaden fish oil in this compound acts as a water repellent and vehicle to carry the heavier pine tar and unrefined beeswax into the leather.

The pine tar not only preserves the sewing and leather, but acts as a flexible binder, holding the other ingredients of the compound in the leather.

The unrefined beeswax imparts the necessary heavy viscosity and adhesive and preserving qualities as well as enduring moisture resistance to the leather-proofing compound.

Leather to be waterproofed and preserved with my compound should be free of moisture and foreign particles. The compound is: melted, the leather articles warmed, and application of the hot, thin liquid made with a brush to the grain side of leather, thereby prolonging wear, waterproofing for long periods of time, keeping the leather naturally pliant, preserving the leather and stitching, depth-controlling the application, and permitting the pores to breathe.

It will be evident that the pine tar imparts a rather pleasant odor to the compound rendering its use entirely practical for all ordinary purposes, however, the additive, oil of rhodium, while not changing the odor of the compound as perceived by the human senses, enhances the use of my invention by hunters and trappers inasmuch as it has a tendency to inhibit the human scent.

It should be noted that variations may be made in the proportions of the ingredients as long as the heavy viscosity is maintained.

I am cognizant of the several combinations of animal and vegetable matter which may be combined to produce a composition of this" nature and numerous methods of preparation and application without departing from the original principles of my invention, therefore I intend to limit the patent granted herein only as necessitated by previous practices.

I claim as my invention:

1. The process of producing a waterproofing, preserving, and polishing compound for leather goods consisting of placing four parts of pine tar in a container, superposing three parts of fish oil on the pine tar, heating the bottom of the container slowly, then stirring and adding six parts of melted, unrefined beeswax after which the compound is thoroughly stirred and allowed 4 to cool slightly, then one drop of oil of rhodium is added for each seven ounces of the compound which is then allowed to cool and solidify.

2. A waterproofing, preserving and polishing composition for the treatment of leather, said composition having a firm, paste-like consistency and consisting of fish oil, pine tar, beeswax and oil of rhodium in the proportions'of 3 ounces of fish oil, four ounces of pine tar, six ounces of beeswax and one and six-sevenths drops of oil of rhodium.

HOWARD C. SCHMH).

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 44,025 Taw Aug. 30, 1864 289,880 Barber et-a1. Dec. 11, 1883 764,971 Aagaard. July 12, 1904 1,382,468 Bumpass June 21, 1921 1,836,756 Johnson Dec. 15, 1931 OTHER REFERENCES 

1. THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING A WATERPROOFING, PRESERVING, AND POLISHING COMPOUND FOR LEATHER GOODS CONSISTING OF PLACING FOUR PARTS OF PINE TAR IN A CONTAINER, SUPERPOSING THREE PARTS OF FISH OIL ON THE PINE TAR, HEATING THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER SLOWLY, THEN STIRRING AND ADDING SIX PARTS OF MELTED, UNREFINED BEESWAX AFTER WHICH THE COMPOUND IS THOROUGHLY STIRRED AND ALLOWED TO COOL SLIGHTLY, THEN ONE DROP OF OIL OF RHODIUM IS ADDED FOR EACH SEVEN OUNCES OF THE COMPOUND WHICH IS THEN ALLOWED TO COOL AND SOLIDIFY. 